Gas diffusion method
Encyclopedia
Gas diffusion refers to a surgical sterilization
method for heat, moisture
, or pressure-sensitive items, with the exception of food, drugs, or liquids. This method is reliable and economically feasible for smaller loads and is frequently seen in hospitals, veterinarian practices, and medical device manufacturing practices where it is frequently used for non-autoclavable items.
Gas diffusion sterilization relies on the use of a bag containing an ampoule of liquid ethylene oxide
(100% EtO) which, upon activation, evaporates and diffuses through the containing bag into a second bag containing the items to be sterilized. Once there, it sterilizes on contact given the proper temperature (50 degrees Celsius) and humidity.
The gas diffusion sterilization is a proprietary method developed by Andersen Products in 1958 and subsequently used by the Anprolene
(EPA registered in 1968) and EOGas sterilizers.
Interchangeable names for this method are "gas diffusion sterilization" or "bag method" because of the use of a bag and the fact that it uses under 18g per sterilization load as opposed to the traditional use of tanks that weight several pounds in use by the conventional EtO sterilization chambers.
Sterilization (microbiology)
Sterilization is a term referring to any process that eliminates or kills all forms of microbial life, including transmissible agents present on a surface, contained in a fluid, in medication, or in a compound such as biological culture media...
method for heat, moisture
Moisture
Humidity is the amount of moisture the air can hold before it rains. Moisture refers to the presence of a liquid, especially water, often in trace amounts...
, or pressure-sensitive items, with the exception of food, drugs, or liquids. This method is reliable and economically feasible for smaller loads and is frequently seen in hospitals, veterinarian practices, and medical device manufacturing practices where it is frequently used for non-autoclavable items.
Gas diffusion sterilization relies on the use of a bag containing an ampoule of liquid ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane, is the organic compound with the formula . It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape . This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered...
(100% EtO) which, upon activation, evaporates and diffuses through the containing bag into a second bag containing the items to be sterilized. Once there, it sterilizes on contact given the proper temperature (50 degrees Celsius) and humidity.
The gas diffusion sterilization is a proprietary method developed by Andersen Products in 1958 and subsequently used by the Anprolene
Anprolene
Anprolene is a registered trade name for ethylene oxide that belongs to Andersen Sterilizers.Harold Willids Andersen invented Anprolene in 1967 and used plastic bags and small ampoules, hence, substantially less ethylene oxide than traditional chamber type sterilizers...
(EPA registered in 1968) and EOGas sterilizers.
Interchangeable names for this method are "gas diffusion sterilization" or "bag method" because of the use of a bag and the fact that it uses under 18g per sterilization load as opposed to the traditional use of tanks that weight several pounds in use by the conventional EtO sterilization chambers.